Nonmetallic paving block and method of manufacturing the same



Oct. 29, 1929. LElPERT 1,733,610

NONMETALLIC PAVING BLOCK AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME Filed Nov.16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l H mm INVVENTOI? Azw'uptfl. Lci vcrt WQWIUBZWWW477 HNEYS Oct. 29,1929. A. H. LEIPERT 1,733,610

NONMETALLIC PAVING BLOCK AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME Filed Nov.16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Auaust H La ipert Br I w a un 'su w m,4 omrs Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" AUGUST 11.Lemar, or COLLEGE romr,

NEW YORK; N, Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS TO THE RUBBER SHOCKINSU'LATOR CORPORATION, OF WILMING- TON, DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION OFDELAWARE NONMETALLIC PAVING BLOCKAND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAIZEApplication filed November 16, 1926. Serial No. 148,629. g

In co-pending United States applications .Ser. No. 722,648 filed June27, 1924, now Patent No; 1,640,460 and Ser. No. 726,441 filed July 17,1924, now Patent No.- 1,643,024, issued jointly to A. F. Masury and. A.H. 'Leipert, there areshown, described and claimed non-metallic pavingblocks of which a roadway may be comprised and methods of laying theblocks.- It is there proposed to retain the yielding non-metallicmaterial,

such as rubber, of which the blocks are composed under compression,wherebytheir strength, resiliency and wearing qualities are materiallyimproved. These blocks when placed under compression and laid to formthe surface of a roadway afiord a degree of nonrigidity, whereby shocksmay be cushioned and noise deadened during the pets sage of vehiclesthereover. Roadways having a surface made up of blocks of such materialhavebeen found to show practically no perceptible wear in even the mosttrying conditions of usage over long periods of time.

The present invention is concerned pri marily with a non-metallic pavingblock somewhat similar in general to the block shown and described11113116 second abovenamed application and method of manufacturingthesa'me. The improved blocl: difl'ers principally in the means forretainmgmaterial of which the block is composed under compression. Inaccordance with the invention the block comprises a preferably seamlessmetallic ring orba'nd which encircles a block of yielding non-metallicmaterial substantially about its middle portion vthereby maintaining itunder compression, the ends being free and bulging slightly so that whenlaid to form a roadway the surface thereof will be wholly non-metallic.

- The improved method consists essentially in introducing a mass ofyielding non-metallic material into a seamless metallic band under theapplication of external forces, whereby the non-metallic materialconfined within the band is maintained under a degree of internal staticpressure depending upon the relative dimensions of the mass ofnonmetallic material and the band.

In practicing the method the band is placed be left open 1 being forcedtherethrough.

upon a fixture which supports it upon two ledges in such a manner thatthe bottom may and the rubber block forced therethrough. Over the top ofthe band is placed a funnel-shaped fixture designed for the purpose of,initially contracting the block.

The block of non-metallic material, the out-' side dimensions of whichare greater than the inner dimensions of the band is placed within thefunnel-shaped fixture and forced. through the ring by any convenientmeans, such as a power press. The funnel-shaped fixture serves thepurpose of initially contracting the block to the inner'dimensions ofthe band thereby facilitating its passage therethrough. Whenthefunnel-shaped' fixture is removed the band remains about the middleportion of the block thereby maintaining it under compression.

In order that the invention may be better understood, it will now bedescribed more fully in connection with the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a block of non-metallic materialsuitable for use as a paving block'before being placed undercompression. 1

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of a band adapted to be placed aboutthe middle portion of the block to maintain it under compres;

Fi the band in place on a it against displacement while gure 3 is a viewin perspective showing fixture adapted to hold the block is Figure 4 isa view 1n perspective of the funnel which is adapted to be placed abovethe band to facilitate forcing the block therethrough. v

Figure 5 is a view showing the band and funnel in place upon the fixturewith a block of non-metallic material being forced therethrough by meansof a power press, part of the funnel being broken away in the interestof ,clearness.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the block with the band in placethereon and maintaining it under compression.

Figure 7 is a view in vertical section of the fixture, band andfunnelnvith a block of nontion'of the block as shownin' Figure 6. The

' of which may be beveled as at a", which it is proposed to confineunder compression within a preferably seamless ring or band I) designedto be placed about the middle porinner dimensions of the band I), asfrom b to b and I) to b, are le s than the outer dimensions of theblock, a a to a and a to a,

so that when the band is placed about the block the yieldingnon-metallic material will be pla'ced'under a degree of compression andinternalstatic pressure depending upon the .relative dimensions of theband and-the block.

. An apparatus adapted to force the yielding non-metallic aterial intothe band is shown in Fi re 5. he band 6 rests-upon shoulders carried"with the fixture (Z and over the bandis'placed a funnel-shaped fixturec. The fixture-d may be formed, as shown in Figure 3, of two anglepieces having horizontal and vertical sides d, 1, respectively, and heldtogetherin fixed relation by a piece of metal (Z welded or otherwiseafiixed thereto. Upon the adjacent vertical sides d are aflixedshoulders (1 having formed thereon ledges d adapted to hold the band. Onthe outer edges of the vertical sides d there may be formed ears orbrackets d having bolt holesformed therein for a purpose which willbecome apparenthereinafter.

The funnel-shaped fixture (Figure 4) may be formedofa single piece ofmetal having opposite sides converging as indicated at c, c from thelargest portion at the top 0 to the smallest portion 6' at the bottom.The small'bottom portion? may be formed of sides whose elements aremutuall perpendicular from 0' to the bottom e ge of thefunnel andis sodimensioned that the inner bottom edges of the funnel coincide with theinner side of the band b'when the'funnelshaped fixtureic is placedthereupon. The funnel-shaped fixture may have formed thereon ears orbrackets 0 having bolt holes 0.

In forcing band the band is placed upon the ledges d on the shoulders d?carried with the fixture d.

The funnel is then placed over the band in such relative position thatthe inner bottom edges of the funnel coincide with the inner edges ofthe band. As shown in Figure 5 the/bl ck of non-metallic material isthen placed within the funnel and over it is'varranged a ram fof wood orother suitable material which is adapted to force the block downwardlyand through the band by means of a power press indicated in part at eand adapted to be operated by rollers as shown at e. It will be observedthat in being forced into the band the block of non-metallic Y materialis contracted to the inner dimensions ofthe band-while-within the funnelas'at a thereby facilitating its. passage through the band. 1

Figure 7. is a view in vertical section showing a slight modification inthe construction of the bottom portion of the funnel. It will be seenthat the bottom portion may be machined out as indicated at 0 so as tofit about the band and assist in maintaining the proper relativeposition between the funnel and the band while the non-metallicfmateriaLis being forced therethrough.' The proper relationship of partsmay be also insured by clamping together the brackets c on the funneland brackets d on the fixture as'by bolts hpassing through the boltholes 0 and d, respectively. The completed paving block is shown inFigure 6 with the band in place about its middle .portion. The ends ofthe non-metallic material may project beyond the edges of theband andbulge out as indicated at a the material confined by the band beingunder a greater degree of compressionthan that pro-- mensions of theband. It-will be apparent, however, that the means for introducing themass of yielding non-metallic material into the band may take otherforms than that shown in the preferred embodiment and no limitationsareintended except as indicated in the appended claims. It will also beobvious that the band I) may be formed with circumferential corrugationsor other means to reinforce it against the pressure set up by thecompression of the yielding non-metallic materia. the nonmetallic blockinto the It will thus be seen that there has been provided a pavingblock of yieldin non-metallic materia which is maintaine undercompression by a seamless metallic band and which presents a neatappearance havin no projections or other lncumbrances w ich might causedifliculty in laying the blocks side by side in paving a roadway. Theprocess of manufacture is simple and inexpensive and aflt'ords means ofproducing such paving blocks in quantities notheretofore possible.

It will be seen that thepaving block presents. a wholly non-metallicsurface to the roadway thereby cushioning shocks and deadening noisesdue to the passage of vehicles thereover. Since it is maintained undercompres sion its resiliency and wearing qualities are such as will allowits continued use without replacement over a practically indefinitelength of time.

What is claimed is: In the manufacture of paving blocks, the method ofinserting a block of yielding material into and against a relativelyrigid metallic retaining band which is somewhat smaller than the normalperimeter of the block, comprisin firmly supporting the band,compressing at east a part of the block in suitable means aligned withthe band until one end of the block has a perimeter equal to theinterior perimeter of the band, positioning the means and block so thatthe block is aligned with the band, the compressedend of the block beingnext to the band, and forcing the block from said means directly into'the band until it protrudes from both ends thereof, the block havingnochance to expand before coming within the band, and the said meansremaining always entirely without the band though abutting against it.

This specification signed this 13th day of November A. D. 1926. soAUGUST H. LEIPERT.

